Agroforestry & Mangrove Maintenance Programme

During FY 2025-26, the programme combined new mango plantation, maintenance of existing fruit-bearing trees and mangrove ecosystem maintenance across Odisha and West Bengal. AJKA implemented the programme with support from LTM, integrating new plantations with maintenance of existing fruit-bearing and mangrove ecosystems.

The challenge

Rural and coastal ecosystems depend on productive landscapes and healthy natural resources, yet maintaining these assets requires sustained investment beyond one-time plantation drives.

Fruit-bearing trees need continued care to survive and become productive livelihood assets. Mangrove ecosystems similarly require protection and maintenance to preserve their ecological value. The programme therefore focuses on establishing new green assets while protecting those already created, linking conservation with long-term rural livelihoods and climate resilience.

How the programme works

New agroforestry plantation

In Balarampur, Purulia, the programme established 20,000 new mango trees across 80 acres, reaching 67 rural households and community members. The intervention creates long-term productive assets that can contribute to green cover, household consumption and future income through fruit production.

Maintenance of fruit-bearing plantations

The programme recognises that plantation survival and productivity depend on continued maintenance after planting.

In Patharpratima, South 24 Parganas, AJKA supported the maintenance of 1,05,387 established fruit-bearing trees across 527 acres, benefiting 4,060 people. The intervention achieved 100% of its planned maintenance target.

Together, the new mango plantation and fruit-tree maintenance components covered 1,25,387 trees across 607 acres, reaching 4,127 beneficiaries.

Mangrove ecosystem maintenance

The programme also extends ecological conservation to vulnerable coastal landscapes. In Canning, South 24 Parganas, 80,144 mangrove plantations were maintained across 30 acres, reaching 9,855 beneficiaries. In Rajnagar Block, Kendrapara, 15,000 mangrove plantations were maintained across 50 acres, benefiting 1,100 people.

Community stewardship

The programme goes beyond plantation numbers by strengthening local engagement in the maintenance and protection of ecological assets. Maintenance interventions have helped build community participation and local ownership, ensuring that plantations are viewed as long-term productive and environmental resources rather than short-duration project outputs.

What we have learned

The programme demonstrates the value of a “plant, protect and sustain” approach to environmental conservation.

Creating new plantations is only the first step. Long-term ecological and livelihood value depends on protecting established assets, maintaining survival and productivity, and strengthening local ownership.

The combination of agroforestry and mangrove maintenance also shows how conservation can contribute simultaneously to green cover, sustainable land use, ecological stability, climate resilience and future livelihood enhancement.